True enough, and as if there were any doubt, Orange Barrel Season (proper noun) is in full swing. As you know, we’re in the midst of the U.S. 31 upgrade from stop-and-go to go-go-go, and the interruptions seem fairly minimal, though they’re no less aggravating. Around Westfield, there are projects going on. All of that comes with the growth our city is experiencing. With a burgeoning municipality comes the need (and/or responsibility) to keep the infrastructure up to snuff if not ahead of the game. And so, as we waited in traffic last weekend on our way back from an appointment, a smile was forged when coming upon a city sign on South Union Street proclaiming, “Excuse me while I get smooth (pavement).” We found it clever and an apt way to bring perspective to the delay. As we’ve counseled before, one day the collective disruptions to traffic will comprise a distant memory.

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In recent weeks, we’ve been taken to task for our “Republican views.” Here’s a concise summary of our responses: WRONG! People are quick to confuse conservatives, which we are, with Republicans, which we’re not. Well, we are, sort of, because the antiquated primary election laws force you and us to declare a party of choice. So, we hold our noses tighter than a C-clamp could and reluctantly select R. That has to change. We sincerely doubt there will be revision of the law anytime soon, but that’s beside the point. We’re for what seemingly most of the rest of the nation is against: less spending, smaller government, priority on justice and defense and zero self-interest at any level of government. We may be classified as dreamers, but that’s who we are, and that’s what some of our editorial comments in this space stand for. We firmly believe the two-party system to be not any longer what our founding fathers brought us. It’s drenched in everything we just told you we’re against.